Still wet and cold Sunday

I wake up to a cold house..look out the window and we have more snow. Ugh. I am already cold and the thought of going out THERE into the snow is not appealing.......so I stall...I turn the gas fireplace on full blast, drink coffee, read the weather report, find another weather report.....decide that the first weather report is much the same as the second....so I read email, develop a "to do" list for today...drink more coffee....then put about eight layers on and get in the truck. I make the drive to the barn and the roads are not that bad. I arrive and I am met by hungry horse faces...who then grunt and snuffle and give fake whinnies as I make my way to the barn. I tell them they are not starving.....to calm down. I let chickens out, the barn cat out and I see that the raccoons have been at the barn during the night....why? the chicken food dish is turned over, the water is turned over and there are raccoon prints in the snow.
The barn cat eats and then retreats back to her "warm" kitty house....I don't blame her.
I put insulated gloves on, take hay to everyone, then I start on grain........the hot water pipe was frozen yesterday but Ryan and I fixed it, so it works this morning. Piping hot slop for everyone....even Beaver gets hot water soaked timothy pellets, which he thinks is a real treat.

No squirrels in the feeder this morning.......lots of chickadees and robins who look hungry.

I give the warning every once in a while......but here I go again. You must be careful when you sell or give your horse away.........Please do a home check, get references from a veterinarian, use a contract......do not trust everyone you meet because there are some bad folks out there who don't give a rip about your horse or you or really anything....if you cannot keep your horse, research your options, make a plan, do your homework. You are not doing your horse any favors if you don't keep his best interest at heart.....it often isn't money you are after..but PLEASE......don't think that because you give him or her for free to a "nice" family that the family is nice....anyone can sound nice, any well dressed person can speak a good game.......get references, see where your horse will live......make a contractual agreement. I have seen the worst of the worst. Euthanasia is a better option than starving to death in someone's front yard tied to a tree...

Our economic times are still challenging. Horses are expensive....expensive to feed, expensive to vet, expensive to shoe....consider your options.......buy in a co-op situation, buy in bulk, supplement hay with good quality local hay, learn to give shots yourself, deworm regularly, feed clean and good quality hay and always have fresh water available, have a dry place for your horse to stand.......split vet calls with the neighbor, ask for a discount, shop prices. You will be surprised at how rates vary for different procedures.

Monday will be here tomorrow......and soon March.......hopefully March brings spring.....and then more sun, green grass, dryer pastures......higher hopes.....bigger smiles.......and soon summer. I can hardly wait. This has been a long winter already, hasn't it?

Pony UP fortune for tomorrow:

Can you offer understanding when you don't understand?